Darlene Panzera Author Journey: How I Became a Published Writer
Hello friends, I’m Darlene Panzera from Aspiring Writer Academy, and today I want to tell you a little about myself and my writing journey. I’ll take you behind the scenes and share how I began writing my first stories, the challenges I faced while continuing to write through life’s hardships, and how I finally became a published author.
If you have a dream that you wish to pursue, I hope my story inspires you to take that first step, believe in yourself, push past the obstacles, and keep going…
Until you, too, turn your dream into reality.
My Introduction to Storytelling:
Ever since I was little, I have loved reading books and so it was natural for me as I grew to start writing them.
- I remember writing simple six-page dinosaur and Godzilla stories for the illustrations my younger brother drew with his crayons. I taped the small pages together and we made covers from a brown paper bag to create our own books.
- Then when I was fourteen, a friend showed me her notebook at school, and I discovered she was writing her own romance novel.
I thought to myself, how cool was that?
And I decided I wanted to write one too!
Over the years I changed the entire story at least six times but the one thing I kept the same was that the names of the romantic couple were “Jenny & Nick.”
Following Life’s Unexpected Turns
In college I took English literature & creative writing classes, dreaming I’d get a job at a New York City publishing house (and get my novel published.) But I also knew it could take years of waiting without any guarantee my novel would ever be published.
I needed a ‘real job’ – one that could pay bills and give me the money to support myself. Facing this reality, I switched schools and became a dental assistant to bring in a paycheck.
I also had my own real-life romance, got married, and had three kids. But I never stopped writing (although now I had to do it during my children’s naptime.)
And I never stopped dreaming of having my books published.
Perseverance & Action Steps
- I read how-to books on the craft of writing fiction.
- I worked with a mentor who critiqued my pages and sent them back to me.
- I took writing classes.
- I joined local writing groups.
- And I was so excited to go to my first writing conference. There were editors and agents there! I had stayed up all night long practicing my pitch – yes, it was the latest version of the ‘Jenny & Nick’ story – and I was devastated when the editor told me my story wasn’t ‘enough.’
What did she mean by that? It didn’t have enough plot? She hadn’t even read it yet. How could she tell me it wasn’t good enough without reading it first? She wasn’t even interested in reading it. The rejection stung, and I took it personally, like ‘I’ wasn’t enough.
But I didn’t quit.
- I learned as much as I could from my new writer groups.
- I continued to go to conferences, which also taught me more about the publishing industry.
- I wrote more stories.
- And I joined a small critique group to help polish my pages.
The Plot Twist I Never Expected
At this point I’d been working on my novels for over 20 years. My kids were teenagers. And in 2008 when the economy collapsed, my husband’s construction company collapsed with it. It was a dark, emotionally turbulent time for our family and after not working for 13 years, this stay-at-home mom had to get a job.
Except…
- Dental offices weren’t hiring, and my skills from the past were completely outdated.
- The best paying job I could find was in a windowless gray warehouse.
For a while, I enjoyed working there and my co-workers became friends, but I longed to see the sunshine on nice days, and to have the freedom to choose when ‘I’ wanted to work. I wanted more time with my family, and more than anything, I really wanted to see my book published after all the work I’d put into writing it.
Each day one particular warehouse employee would pass by and ask me, “Are you living the dream?”
I’d paste on a bright smile and say, “I’m trying!” But on the inside, I felt miserable.
Especially when one day, a new author set up a table across the aisle from me, and I watched as a line of people formed, and the author autographed book after book. It hurt, because ‘I’ wanted to switch places with that author. He was sitting where I wanted to be. The truth was, I wasn’t living the dream. My dream of having my own book published seemed so…. far away.
There were many tears, not just from unfulfilled dreams but because my personal life was a mess. I was also dealing with a string of family deaths, the threat of bankruptcy, and other things causing a whole lot of stress. It was too much.
The Turning Point—Seizing an Opportunity
Finally, my husband said, “If you want to write, then write.”
So, although it didn’t make sense, because we still needed the money, I quit my job.
And shortly after, a friend told me about a contest being run by Avon Impulse, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. Ironically, the name of the contest was the ‘Make Your Dreams Come True’ contest. Yes, really!
They were looking for a sweet, wholesome novella to publish along with NYTimes bestselling author, Debbie Macomber’s story. My sweet cowboy-ranch ‘Jenny & Nick’ story would be perfect! This was my chance to have it published! Except…my book would need to be cut in half to fit the page count required for a short novella.
Determined to give it my best shot, I worked day and night over the next three weeks – in 90 degree summer heat - with only a fan, no air conditioning.
I had to condense the story and see how many pages I could possibly cut. Somehow, I managed to send it in before the deadline.
Then on the day the winner was to be announced - at 8 am. – nothing. No phone call. No email. Nothing revealed online.
Dejectedly I assumed I did not win. I started to go on with my day.
Then about an hour later, I did get a call, not from an editor, but from my friend. And she said congratulations.
I said “What for?” It was then that she told me I had won. But I didn’t believe it. There had been no notification, no confirmation. Nothing.
Then my daughter ran down the stairs and told me she saw it online – I ‘did’ win! Breathless, my excitement grew, but I was still too scared to believe it.
A Dream Come True
Then the phone call from the editor finally came to reassure me that yes – I did win, my dream had finally come true. My ‘Jenny & Nick’ story was going to be published and distributed worldwide.
I did my best to act professional while on the phone but after I hung up?
I was jumping up and down squealing – yes – squealing with high-pitched delight.
My daughter was jumping up and down with me.
I could hardly believe it was true. In June of 2012, my novella would be printed behind Debbie Macomber’s new release titled, “Family Affair.”
Three stories had been chosen as finalists, and it had been Debbie Macomber herself who picked the winner. Which is such an honor!
A Second Contract
Then the editor called back a few days later with more details and wanted to know how I came up with the idea for my novella.
I told her, ‘Well, actually, it was a full-length novel I had cut in half to enter the contest.’
She asked me to send in the full manuscript and two weeks later, the publisher sent me a contract to publish the full-length Jenny & Nick story in addition to the novella.
The novella was titled, The Bet, and they needed a slightly different title for the full-length novel, so I said “How about, “Bet You’ll Marry Me.”
Life as a Published Author
- That contest win launched my career, and I went on to publish The Cupcake Diaries, a 5-book romantic comedy series about three women who open a cupcake shop in Astoria, Oregon.
- And Montana Hearts, a 3-book cowboy romance series with a twist of suspense.
- And when the publishing company switched me to another editor to work with, guess who it was? The same editor who first rejected my ‘Jenny & Nick’ story! But now I see that she’d been right—the story had not been ready for publication at that time.
- Next, I was offered several contracts to write Christian Historical novellas with Barbour Publishing—and my story, The Groom She’d Thought She Left Behind from The Runaway Brides Collection won the prestigious American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award.
Paying it Forward
Today I write both Sweet Contemporary and Christian Historical Romance.
I also enjoy teaching others how to write at conferences and online at www.aspiringwriteracademey.com so that I can help other aspiring writers make their dreams come true.
The Truth About Lucky Breaks
While it may seem to some that I just got lucky when I won the Avon Impulse contest, the real reason I won was because of the steps I took prior to entering the contest. If I hadn’t studied all those books, taken all those classes, or joined a writing group, I would never have been in a position to even be a finalist.
Many authors will tell you—It took 20 years to become an ‘overnight success.’
That’s because most of the work that went before the ‘win’ is unseen by the public eye.
Never give up!
When you are actively involved in the writing community and work hard to improve your craft, you will see doors open before you. Seize opportunities. Position yourself for a positive outcome. Earn your ‘lucky’ break.
The Value of Having Mentors
While perseverance and hard work are a large part of writing and publishing, I was also blessed by published authors who generously took the time to share what they knew with others. Having a mentor is so important. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their help.
And I wanted to turn around and help others the same way my mentors helped me. So….
- I began to teach classes at conferences.
- Then I invited a small group of women who were interested in writing to my home and put together a “Start to Finish” course to help them write their first book.
At first, they looked at me as cluelessly as a deer staring in the headlights, and I knew they had a long way to go before they learned the necessary skills, but two years later they were all smiles and filled with confidence as they held their first published book in their hands.
- Afterward, a young woman from France contacted me online and we chatted about an issue she was having with her writing. I realized with awe that the internet allowed me to give an eager writer from another country advice and that I could help others around the world.
- That inspired my daughter and I to create our website, Aspiring Writer Academy, where we teach writers how to write, publish, and market their fictional novels. Because we believe that all writers can aspire to take their writing to the next level.
I hope you are taking advantage of all the free resources and teaching that we have available at:
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We Believe All Authors Can Aspire to Take Their Writing to the Next Level!
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is a multi-published author, speaker, and writing coach. She writes sweet contemporary, inspirational, and historical romance and loves teaching aspiring writers how to write quality fiction. Read her inspiring story of how she published her first book and launched a successful writing career.